PhD Candidate on Literature Education in Dutch English Foreign Language Education

How can insights into the Zeitgeist of Generation Z help secondary-school students become more engaged readers of literature and prepare them for their future role as responsible citizens? As a PhD candidate you will investigate the socio-didactic dimension of Anglophone literature in Dutch English Foreign Language education. Linking this to the ongoing scholarly debate on 'metamodernism', you will contribute to the innovation of current EFL literature education at secondary level.

In recent years, the lack of reading motivation among Dutch adolescents has been a topic of much discussion and a cause for concern. Nevertheless, the popularity of Anglophone young adult fiction and social media platforms such as #BookTok show that Generation Z is not necessarily averse to reading and storytelling. In fact, some books and literary genres and their characteristically inclusive treatment of recurring (societal) themes may be seen as representative of a zeitgeist in which, following the contemporary scholarly debate on 'metamodernism', connection and sincerity are central.

Starting from the premise that Anglophone literature has a socio-didactic potential in the Dutch English Foreign Language classroom, this project will focus on literature education within the school subject of English. It will take stock of students' reading habits to investigate whether and, if so, how scholarly insights into the current spirit of the age are integrated into literature education at the secondary level. In addition, and on the basis of those insights, how can secondary-level literature education be improved in such a way that it better prepares students for their future participation in society as responsible citizens? You will research these topics through a mixed methods approach, which combines reviewing literature and teaching materials with conducting (in-school) surveys and interviews.

Your research will be embedded in the Radboud Institute for Culture & History (RICH) and you will be part of the Graduate School for the Humanities (GSH). You will devote 75% of your time to the research for and writing of your PhD thesis. The remaining 25% will be spent on training and academic service to the Faculty of Arts, including teaching.

• It concerns an employment for 0.8 (5 year contract) - 1.0 FTE (4 year contract).
• The gross starting salary amounts to €2,770 per month based on a 38-hour working week, and will increase to €3,539 from the fourth year onwards (salary scale P).
• You will receive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• You will be employed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4 year contract) or 3.5 years (5 year contract).
• You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Care Services. Our Dual Career and Family Care Officer can assist you with family-related support, help your partner or spouse prepare for the local labour market, provide customized support in their search for employment and help your family settle in Nijmegen.
• Working for us means getting extra days off. In case of full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the legally allotted 20.

Work and science require good employment practices. This is reflected in Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself, for example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports subscription. And of course, we offer a good pension plan. You are given plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

The Faculty of Arts is committed to knowledge production with a significant scientific and social impact. With over 500 academic and support staff, we teach and conduct research in the fields of history and art, languages and cultures, and linguistics and communication, using innovative methodologies and working in close collaboration with each other. Our research is embedded in two research institutes: the Centre for Language Studies (CLS) and the Radboud Institute for Culture & History (RICH). We currently have approximatively 2,500 students, enrolled in three departments: the Department of History, Art History and Classics, the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, and the Department of Language and Communication. We aim to contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive world, which is why we especially seek applications from candidates who bring diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and skills that will be assets to our study programmes and research profiles.



Radboud University
We are keen to meet critical thinkers who want to look closer at what really matters. People who, from their expertise, wish to contribute to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. This ambition unites more than 24,000 students and 5,600 employees at Radboud University and requires even more talent, collaboration and lifelong learning. You have a part to play!

You can apply until 31 October 2023, exclusively using the button below. Kindly address your application to Dr Edwin van Meerkerk. Please fill in the application form and attach the following documents:

• Your own proposal for a PhD project: title, research question, scholarly background, aims, method (maximum 500 words, excluding bibliographical references).
• A motivation letter, explaining why you are interested in this opportunity and how it fits in with your short- and long-term plans (maximum one page).
• Your CV, including the names, affiliations and email addresses of two referees (no need to send letters at this stage).
• A list of courses taken and grades obtained (BA and MA).

The first round of interviews will take place at Thursday 23 November (online). The second round of interviews will take place at Thursday 14 December. You would preferably begin employment on 1 April 2024.

We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It offers a rough outline of what you can expect during the application process, how we handle your personal data and how we deal with internal and external candidates.